Improvement in apparatus for lighting railway-cars



J. STUBY.'

Apparatus for Lighting Railway Cars.

PHOTO-LITHUGRAFHER, WASHINGTUN, D c4 UNITED JAMES STORY, OF WASHINGTON, Drs'rnor OF COLUMBIA.

|,MPRovEMEVNT VIN APPARATUS FORALIGHTIAIG RAILWAY-CARS.

Specificationforming part of Lette-rs Patent No. 169,126, dated October 26, 1875 application led October l, 1875. 4

To all whom it may concern:

Bc itv knownv that I, JAMES STORY, of the city of Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented an Improvement in Apparatus for Lighting Railway-Cars by Means of Illuminating-Gas, of which the following is a description It has been customary, in lighting railwaycars by means of illuminating-gas, to have the same compressed in small receivers, one of which is placed in each car and coupled with the gas-pipes of that car only. This requires the handling of a large number of said receivers, and the attachment of a large number of couplings, and the separate adjustment and care of each of said receivers. In addition to the above is the danger of conilagration in event of an accident. i

I propose to obviate the disadvantages of the system above mentioned, first, by illuminating all the cars of railway-train by gas from a single reservoir; Second, in a cut-off valve under control by a cord reaching the entire length of the train, so that the flow ,of gas may be instantly cut off by any strain upon said cord, either designedly by the hand of a person upon the train, or accidentally upon the separation of the cars in case of an accident; third, in maintenance of the pressure by means of water forced into the gas-holder.

That others may fully understand my invention, I vwill particularly describe'it, having reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure l is a longitudinal section of my apparatus in operative position. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of my cut-off valve. Fig. 3 exhibits the method of transferring gas-holders.y Fig. 4 is a section representing my receiver rand water-pump.

A is an ordinary railway-car, having a pori tion at one end partitioned Oill and separated fromthe body ot' the car to form a chamber, B, for 'the reception of a gas-holder, C, from which gas is drawn for the illumination of the several cars 4of the train. This chamber or seat B may be arranged in the baggage-car more conveniently than elsewhere, though its location is not material, and, if desirable, it may be mounted upon its own truck, or upon the tender. The gas-holder Gis simply a reservoir, into which gasis forced until a proper volume and pressure are attained, so that it may be enabled to furnish the several cars with an adequate 'supply Without reduci-ng the pressure in the holder below the proper standard. A pipe, b, is inserted in the top of the holder C for an outlet, and to the outer end of Said pipe the branch pipes d c are taken off' to couple with the pipes F, by which the gas is distributed to the several burners in the cars. The necessary coupling is made by meanshof ilexible pipes, which will not be disturbed by any irregularity in the motion of the oars. The pipe c leads forward, and is coupled with the necessary pipe to convey gas to the head-light ot' the locomotive. The pipe b is provided with a stop-cock, and may also be provided with any suitable automatic governor-valve to regulate the How under a varying pressure. Between the holderfG and the burners I locate the cut-off valve G, the structure of which is shown in Fig. 2, and the atvtached cord g is led therefrom through all the cars of the train, so that it is accessible toevery traveler. The valve G contains a conical seat, transverse to the service-pipe F, and a plug, c', of similar form, litted thereto gastight. A spring, h, keeps said plug away from its seat, and the flow of gas is then uninterrupted; but if the cord g is drawn, so as to compress the spring hand draw the plug to its seat, the llow of gas will be immediately cut o", and the lights extinguished, so that in case of accidentthe passengers and carriages will not be in danger of conflagration..

The pipe F may be inside of the car, or may be protected from the weather and from cold in any suitable way. t

The gas-holders C are design ed to be charged at the terminal'or other proper station, and by means ot' a proper crane, such as is shown in Fig. 3, the exhausted receiver and a freshly-charged one can be transposed with a single movement, and in a few minutes time, whereas the detachment and replacement of the small receivers heretofore used occupy so much time, and involve so much labor, as to preclude the use of this method ot' illumination on through -trains traveling longs distances. By my improvement this objection to the use of gas will be obviated.

If, for any reason, it may be desirable, the gas may be entirely expelled, and the requisite pressure `maintained to the last by the pres-,p p p ber or seat B and the" several cars of a railence of Water in the receiver. When the pressure of gas approaches the minimum, Water 1s d pumped into the reservoir until the gas is snciently compressed, and'thisA may be re pea'ted until the reservoir is. filled` with Water and the gas entirely expelled.l For this purpose a pump, I, may be inserted inthe reservoir; or a detached pump may be "employed, if more convenient or desirable. The pump I, being inserted Within the reservoir, is not liable to any injury in the transportation of the holders or receivers.

` The water may be introduced through hollow piston-rod, or in any other proper manner, and it may be drawn from any convenient ves# sel by means 0f a piece of flexible piping attached to the outer end of the piston-rod.

p Havingdescribed my invention, what I claim asnevvisV W p `l. The reservoir G,combined` with itscharnway-train, each being provided with suitable service-pipes F, as and for the purpose set forth.

l 2. Combined Withthe reservoir C and service-pipes F, the cut-off valve Gr, provided with la cord, g, extendingthrongh the train, as set forth.

3. Combined with a rigid gas-holder, a pump,-

I, for the purpose of forcing water into said holder to 'restore the pressure, substantially as described.

JAS. STORY. Witnesses:

R. D. 0. SMITH 

